Aeducan Memories
by The Flying Frog
Summary: The memories of Thorin Aeducan, chronicled by him before and after his exile. Enter the mind of Endrin's favorite son and see things from his perspective. Think you know him? The Shaperate will soon.
1. Glorious Commander

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Age Origins. I wish I did.

Basic Character information: Thorin Aeducan is an Orzimmar noble, through and through. He does however, have a very strong sense of honor. If he gives his word to do something, he'll do it. He is not above underhanded tactics, nor is he adverse to honorable discourse and diplomacy. He does whatever works and what he perceives as necessary. He is a rogue, practicing (overtime) being a duelist, an assassin, and Legionnaire Scout.

This story will loosely cover the events in Origins, but I'm challenging myself by doing something somewhat different. Each chapter will be him writing in his journal as he chronicles his journeys. He may skim over certain details, or even greatly exaggerate things to make him look better to whoever may read it in the future. I will put in interruptions with him talking to other characters/party members for either dramatic or humorous dialogue relating to his chronicles. I'm writing this story to exercise my writing abilities and expand the Dwarven Noble personality, give him more depth. I urge you to read, review, and enjoy.

_The Memories of Thorin Aeducan. _

_This is surely the start of a long and glorious career as a commander of Orzimmar. I had no time to write this last night as I had been occupied. With luck our house will have two new sword arms in the coming months. Mardi and Tali, hardly Paragons of Beauty, but should sons be born, I can live with the sacrifice. _

_Moving onto the business at hand, as Gorim would put it, I was elected by the Assembly to be a Commander of Orzammar's armies and the whole city celebrated yesterday. There were provings held in my honor, so naturally I couldn't resist joining in. As the new leader of many of these warriors, it was necessary to test their skills. If I'm to fight the darkspawn, I want to know what everyone who serves under me is capable of. Ser Blackstone will be captain, no doubts about that. He's confidant, skilled, and already won great honor in battle already. His experience speaks for itself. Frandlin Ivo will likely be at my left hand, just under Gorim. He has a good and honorable reputation, he's courageous and treated me as his commander should be treated-enough courtesy to mind his place, and enough honor to fight me at his best despite my station. The Ivo's will go far with him. _

_As for Adal Helmi, a tenacious fighter with a great deal of speed. I don't know if she'll serve under me or continue under Piotan, but I certainly hope she is transferred to me. The Helmi's and Aeducan's bonds are strong after all. And I may be marrying her sister. Might be a good idea to figure out what I'm getting into. _

_Gorim heard rumors of a Casteless last week who had snuck into the Proving Grounds and fought as another warrior. Must investigate after the battle today. May be sign of the Ancestor's favor. _

_On my way back to the palace I felt it prudent to view the merchants wares. What better way to annoy Trian than to find more ways to delay attending the feast. All joking aside, Trian is a good man who means well. But he and I both know when father returns to the Stone, it will be either me or him to rule. He is the heir, I am the favorite. He was trained to rule, I talked to other houses and warriors so I can learn to lead. He practiced with the warhammer and battle tactics, I took to scouting and finesse. The differences are endless. _

_On the subject of Trian, Bhelen approached me and informed me that Trian plans to kill me. Can't say I'm surprised. What did surprise me was Bhelen's mentioning his own danger. He has never stood out. His training has never been anything more than average in combat, he has never lead men in the deeproads. The decisions he has made hasn't cost anyone lives because of his mistakes or sacrifices. Yet there he was, showing planning and foresight. I can't believe that of him. Something is going on. You don't become a scout if you can't read situations and something here is pulling my beard. _

_He wants me to kill Trian and Gorim agrees. But despite our differences, Trian is still my brother, and I cannot kill him. Not unless I'm attacked first. _

_It's almost time for Gorim and I to ready ourselves for the battle. Glory and honor awaits my first day as commander. The warriors transferring to me probably won't happen for a couple days, but I'm told I'll have enough men to accomplish my objective today._

"Lord Aeducan! That was wonderful." Thorin rolled his eyes, they had to interrupt now.

Looking from his desk towards the bed, there lay the two casteless noble hunters he picked up the day before. They were smiling at him warmly, obviously hoping they now bore his sons. "Perhaps, if my lord wishes it, we may try and double our chances?" Thorin smiled.

"Of course Mardi. Gorim won't be here for another hour at least. We will need to be fast, the battle awaits and I must be ready. You understand."


	2. Into the Deep

Author's Note: Well, one review later and I'm at it again. Moving along.

Thorin sat in his cell looking shocked through the bars. How had that happened? What happened? Forget that. He knew exactly what happened. He was there, but Bhelen betrayed him! Frandlin Ivo and the scout betrayed him! Only Gorim stood by him.

Trian was dead. The heir was dead! When did that happen? How did it happen?

Shaking his head, he grabbed a nearby pebble that would make a perfect chisel, and a large flat stone.

_Memories of Thorin Aeducan. _

_I am in shock. My honorable career. My glory! All gone in an instant. I have lost everything. I am still trying to come to terms with it. Might help to write it down. _

_So much has changed. I ask the ancestors that should anyone read this, let the stone bear witness of these events. I am innocent. I did not kill Trian. I am no kin-slayer._

_Yesterday, I wrote that Bhelen approached me about Trian. I should have been more suspicious. I should have investigated further. I should have sought Trian out after his meeting with father. I should have done so many things that weren't done. I swear to the ancestors, I will never make that same mistake again. _

_Let me recount the mission in detail. The stone will reveal all in time. Father briefed us, Trian, Bhelen, and myself each separately. Trian was to escort the wardens at take them to where the fighting was thickest. They were meant to hold the line until the Grey Wardens broke through the darkspawn ranks so they can investigate the rumors of a blight. Sodding good riddance in my opinion. Let the darkspawn bother the surface and let us make the push to recover thaigs. Move the frontline further into the deep. _

_Bhelen and his men were too second father. That meant Bhelen was going to be watched by father the whole time. _

Thorin paused, his thoughts coming into order. Writing, er, chisling this all down was helping him clear his head. Adding a perspective he lacked at the time. He was remembering things a little clearer. How long had it been since he'd been brought back? Had the assembly convened or was father investigating Bhelen's accusations? Ancestors knew the assembly could argue over whose nug was healthier. And take hours doing it too. Made sense as a healthy nug showed off the skill of the noble's servants.

_Bhelen was sent ahead while father and High General Harrowmont gave me and Gorim a secret mission. We had discovered a thaig belonging to our ancestor! And his shield, the very shield he fought off the darkspawn from Orzammar with, should be there. If we recovered the shield, why, the glory alone would be great, let alone the historical value the scholar caste would reap in droves. Our smithing caste could learn more of ancient forging techniques, and I would wear the very shield into battle that helped protect the dwarven people! And if I did it with enough flair, killed enough darkspawn or deepstalker nests on route, I may be declared the next heir right at the rendezvous! _

_Gorim and I went in, and I was happy to see Frandlin Ivo would be serving me. Should the mission go well, I would promote him on the spot, give him glory for his aid. But the other scout...not so much. He had obvious skills, he was, well, fairly talented at seeing nearby traps. And disarming them. I might consider investing in some of those tools he kept on him. I often scout ahead of Trian's men anyway, well I did before becoming a commander, so removing traps would be useful. Can't believe I haven't thought about it before. _

_But the scout was also rude, had little respect for authority, and constantly butted into conversations between me and Gorim. Now I think on it, he was treating me as an equal, I, the son of the king a low-born scout's equal! He had never even fought in the Provings! He has no name or honor to speak for him that I know of! It was as if...he already knew he was to be my equal, or superior by day's end. _

"BHELEN! STONE FORSAKE YOU, CURSED KIN!" Thorin shouted out angrily, the pieces of the battle slowly clicking into place, the whole picture falling into place. Oh, he knew Bhelen had betrayed him when it was happening, but the 'how' was now falling into place. The warning about Trian, the urging to strike first. The noble's taking his word without question when they were arriving at the crossroads.

Furiously, Thorin paced his small cell, trying and partly succeeding at calming his military mind down to continue writing.

_Obviously, he must have been making deals. As for the casteless thugs we killed, who can say whether they were the only ones hired. Up until yesterday, Bhelen was Trian's second. He only became father's yesterday. The thug said one of Trian's men gave him the signet ring. Whose to say the position didn't change after the deal was made? Was it Bhelen's scouts who discovered the thaig? Did they already know. The only way his plot could succeed was if he knew what the secret mission, gave only to me and Gorim right before doing it, was. He had to know. He had to know where the thaig's location was. He had to know when each sibling would be where. The casteless thugs were there to find the shield, and had arrived before we had. They had even set up a ballistae to remove debris to make a quick getaway to the crossroads, well before we got there. I'm guessing only a couple of them were looking while the others set up traps and defenses in case we showed up. That's a lot of space to cover if you don't have a clear idea where to look. _

_That means Bhelen knew where the thaig was, the shield was there, and that I would be going, but not the location of the shield itself. How did he get all that information by yesterday? _Thorin stopped writing. He was running out of space to chisel. He had to finish the summary of the day's events. He would finish his theories later. If he was still alive.

_Stone, please accept this testimony. We found the shield, the power of Aeducan was in it. I could feel it. The craftsmanship was not as good as I expected but the very feeling of power I got from it; I felt I could take on all darkspawn with it. We make it to the rendezvous to find Trian and his men. Already dead. Trians signet ring was on the casteless at the thaig, so I had it with me to confront Trian with it at the time. Or such was my thoughts then. I knelt down to investigate his body. It was definitely not a darkspawn attack. No claw marks, no mutilations, but a sword. And not that crooked sword streak a darkspawn sword leaves either. There were several straight cuts. Trian must have fought several people at once. Good on him, fighting to the last. Probably the only way they could bring him down too. That was when father and the other lords came. Bhelen was telling them to hurry._

_And then, Bhelen accused me of killing Trian. The scout supported his accusation. I could take no more of his low born smugness. Even if he was going to profit by helping Bhelen, I took that away from him, with a dagger through the heart. In retrospect, I realize now that may have...complicated my assertion that I'm innocent. _

_But even Frandlin Ivo turned on me. A good and honest man, or so I thought. Stone forsake him. _

_No matter what happens today, may the stone accept me, and let these memories live on._

"You have ten minutes ser. Orders and all." Thorin heard a guard say.

"Yes, of course. Just leave us alone for a bit." Gorim's voice. Thorin felt his heart soar. Finally something good. Placing his stone tablet down, he knew he wouldn't be able to take it with him. It was heavy enough to be used as a weapon. It would have to be left in this cell. Could be years before anyone found it. But now there was a record, that could be found.

Moving next to the bars, he smiled at his friend. Gorim didn't return the gesture.

"I would have come sooner if they allowed it. How are you feeling?" Hmm.

How was he feeling? Shocked, no he had gotten over that. Writing it all down helped not only get it out of his system, but now he had a much broader idea of what happened yesterday. How was he feeling? Trian was dead because of Bhelen's plotting, and arranged Thorin to take the fall. The noble's couldn't have gotten there at a more convenient time for Bhelen. Thorin standing over Trian's body.

How was he feeling? He certainly wasn't happy. He didn't want Trian dead, but without Trian (and this whole mess) he would be the next king. The honor would go to him. Now King Enderin' two oldest children were out of the picture. Bhelen had been completely inconsequential before this. Never standing out. Never excelling at combat training. Passable and average, but not exemplary by any means. Would he rule the same? His mediocrity must have been an act. One doesn't pull such a political coup without any consequences.

How was he feeling? Bhelen had proven himself skilled at the political game. He now made a move. But his near instant rise to power will draw attention. He will never be in the shadows again. That means he's playing with the big boys now. He won't pull any punches. That also means Thorin has little hope of beating him in the trial without proof. But if enough people could hear it...

"I'm fine. You?" A General or Commander will never let himself blink.

"I could be better." Gorim looked melancholic. This disturbed Thorin. What could possibly affect Gorim this way? "The Assembly isn't going to call for you." Wait...WHAT! "Bhelen has taken Trian's place in the Assembly. He introduced a motion to condemn you immediately and it easily passed." This couldn't be happening. How strong was his support. Tradition and Justice dictated that Thorin had the right to confront his accuser Bhelen. "He had fully half of the Assembly ready to vote for something that goes against tradition and justice. He must have been making deals and alliances for months, if not years." Well, that confirmed his earlier suspicions. But years? Bhelen had been planning fratricide for years!

"I'm going to kill him!" Thorin swore. And he meant it too. He didn't care if he had to fight the entire Assembly and the guards. He would get back at Bhelen. He was not Thorin's brother.

"I don't think you'll get the chance. I've been exiled, my name cut from the family records. But I can at least attempt to make some sort of life for myself on the surface. Harrowmont moved for a similar exile for you but Bhelen's supporters easily overwhelmed him." Thorin could barely breathe. Go to the surface! Lose his stone sense! But still live. If even that had been denied. Of course. Bhelen feared Thorin still. As long as Thorin was alive, his honor would demand he kill Bhelen. That meant only one fate. "You are to be sealed in the deep roads, fighting the enemies of Orzammar." Stone and Ancestors, please accept him.

"What does my father think of this?" He was almost afraid to hear.

"Your father has taken ill. Couldn't bear losing two of his sons." Didn't help that Thorin was his favorite too. Just great. The one person in all of Orzammar who could help him, demand a trial despite the Assembly, was doing nothing. Allowing it. That was as good as condemning him. So much for wanting to believe his innocence.

"Harrowmont allowed me to visit you to tell you this. Duncan and the Grey Wardens are in tunnels connected to the ones you are to be sealed in. If you find them..." Thorin didn't need to hear the rest, now tuning Gorim out temporarily. The Grey Wardens! Still in the deep roads. They excelled at killing Darkspawn. They were the only ones who fought them on the surface and knew what the Dwarves went through. And Duncan. At the feast was very respectful toward Dwarven culture and traditions. He didn't spout that Maker nonsense, or force it down their throats.

"They seemed like good men, for humans." Let's see. If he was to be condemned, and Duncan nearby? Bhelen obviously isn't thinking of that. Quick thinking on Harrowmont's part. Gorim was saying more stuff, but Thorin was busy plotting his pacing, what he would have in supplies, quality of his weapons. Probably would have to scavenge for armor. By the ancestors, scavenging like a duster. He hoped they would let him have a silk rag to wipe off the grime. ugh. But still. "Only darkspawn between me and freedom?"

"Bhelen underestimated us, much as we underestimated him. I'm going to go to Denerim, the human capital. Look me up?" Gorim asked. Thorin figured he too was looking forward to confronting Bhelen again.

"Count on it, my friend." Gorim couldn't be anything else. No one else was standing up for him, or standing with him. Thorin may be noble, Gorim a warrior, but they were commander and second, brothers in arms, friends

"I will always be your man, my Lord Aeducan." Gorim's eyes shifted too the approaching guard, obviously using the title to annoy him. And using it with such reverence would surely annoy him further, especially if the guard was in Bhelen's pocket.

"We are ready for you now."

Thorin was taken, roughly.

A short walk later, Thorin was taken out of his chains, as Harrowmont stood before him, a deep pain in his eyes. "Having been found guilty of fratricide, you are removed the memories. You are no longer a person, or a memory." What? All his accomplishments, his fighting the darkspawn, the provings he fought in. All gone? The only records left, were the ones he wrote, starting two days previous. "You are to be sealed in the deep roads with sword and shield, to die fighting the enemies of Orzammar. If you have any last words, now is the time.

"You call this justice?" Thorin couldn't believe. Not only was he being condemned without a trial, but cast out of existence too? He was casteless. A duster. Nothing. He didn't exist, except in his own memories. Harrowmont nodded.

"If I could have prevented this, I would have. Everyone deserves the right to face their accuser." He paused, grief and regret filling his voice. "Look me in the eye and tell me you didn't do this. For you father's sake!" Father...what a bitter word, but he was the king.

"I didn't kill Trian." Harrowmont stared for a second, relief filling his eyes, followed quickly by anger.

"I believe you. That means Bhelen planned this from the start! I swear I will spend the rest of my days making sure he doesn't profit from his deeds!" Thorin smiled honestly. Any oath from Harrowmont was as good as a written contract. He was honorable and good. As the High General, he was simply fulfilling his duty to be the one uttering the words of condemnation.

"Tell my father I went to a warrior's death." He should have asked how his father was doing, but Thorin honestly didn't care at the moment. His father allowed this.

"I will. Oh, before I forget. I brought this sword for you. It's of fine dwarven make. Use it to strike a blow against our enemies." Thorin paused, holding the sword Harrowmont just gave him. A much higher quality that he expected. "Open the gates. May the stone accept you when you fall."

Thorin nodded. He got at least one person to listen. Hopefully that would be enough. Now he must go down, into the deep. To either salvation and the Wardens, or his doom. He had nothing left.


	3. Friction on the Surface

Author's Note: Well...it's certainly been awhile. Sorry about that.

* * *

Thorin shook his head in what felt like a futile attempt to clear it. Surfacers were crazy. All that sky up there, and no roof. Thorin once heard some merchant talking about falling up into the sky. At first Thorin scoffed, but based on how woozy his head felt, he was almost willing to believe it.

He pulled a journal out of his pack (one of the wardens traveling with Duncan was nice enough to give him one) and began updating his memories.

_By the Stone, how do the Ancestors keep giving me trial after trial. Orzammar may not count me as one who exists and claim the ancestors repudiated me. But my record in Orzammar is what keeps me alive there, with a written record of Bhelen's treachery. Long may his reign be plagued with misfortune. Or may he receive a dagger in his back. Works for me. I personally want to be the one who kills him. _

_Since the fact that I'm writing again, I am still alive and on the surface. Harrowmont had a brilliant plan, brought to me by my fellow exile Gorim. My former second brought me news that the tunnels I was cast out to die in were connected to the ones the Grey Wardens were in. I took special care not to die for real and give Bhelen the satisfaction of succeeding completely. A couple of sharp rocks and a few heavy pebbles and suddenly I had a good basic trap disarming kit. Lord Harrowmont gave me a fine blade, much better than I had expected to receive. It made battling the darkspawn easier. I found a couple of dead dwarves in the tunnels. Sodding morons were better equipped than I was. One of them even had a casteless brand on his face! How did a casteless get such good equipment?_

Speaking of Casteless. Brosca was glaring at him.

_Most of the armor was no good. Bite marks and large holes where they had been run through with arrows or swords. I had to scavenge my armor individually from the corpses. But now I have a full suit of, well, it's decent armor for a foot soldier. It wasn't fitted for me so it is kind of tight around the chest, loose around the legs. But it's better than nothing. Can't wait for my own armor sized for me specifically. _

_So I managed to fight my way through the darkspawn and find the Grey Wardens. I don't want to talk about my exile often, but I felt they had a right to know why I was seeking them out. I was quite shocked when not only did they accept me, but they had already accepted another dwarf named Leniah Brosca. And a casteless at that. She apparently was the casteless who won the proving a week before mine. I knew the Wardens recruited anybody with sufficient skill, but why a casteless!_

"What are you doing?"

Thorin jumped off the log he had been sitting on. Brosca was right there glaring at him. "It's no concern of yours, so why does it matter to you?"

She continued glaring at Thorin. "It IS my concern if you're planning on killing us in our sleep. Poisoning our food, just to make yourself look honorable." Thorin stopped and stared at her for a long while.

"What are you talking about?"

"My sister told me all about you nobles and your political games. You let the rest of us starve and die while you feast and praise how great you and your families are. You play nice with all the other Houses while you scheme to overthrow them and destroy their soldiers while hoping it makes you look better."

"What would-" A pause. Thorin stopped what he was going to say. He was casteless too now. "-you know about that. It isn't your place." Thorin honestly didn't see the punch coming. All he knew was that his nose was bleeding, maybe broken, he was on his back and Brosca was on top of him punching his face in. Once he figured that out, he swiftly grabbed the collar of her shirt and pulled down while kicking one of his legs up, throwing her over him with the grace of a legless nug. She flew like one too. Scrambling to his feet, he was much more prepared for the punches that flew in with surprising power. Swiftly dodging and ducking under the punches, he placed a well-located punch right below the neck. She was now on her back, trying to catch her breath as it had all been knocked out of her. Her leg shot out and tripped him, and now he was on his back as well.

"It matters because you are like all the other nobles, killing your brother...ow. Sodding stone, I'm lucky none of those warriors can fight like you in the proving."

Thorin grunted even as he saw the Wardens handing each other money from bets on their little fight. The big burly fellow with the thick beard seemed to be making the most. "I never killed my brother. I had nothing to gain from it."

"Except glory and the throne. Please, my sister saw it all. She and her patron saw how his brothers got along. You hated each other." Patron...of course, that casteless he saw in Bhelen's room.

"And with my conviction...without a trial I might add, has cleared the only two people in the way of Bhelen taking the throne." He smiled at her widened eyes. "The name of your sisters patron right?" They were on their feet again. Before he was punched in the face again and was back on his back.

"I'll be watching you, noble." The way she said noble with such disgust, annoyed him unlike anything else...besides losing. Getting back to his journal, he continued writing.

_Duncan says we will head to the Circle of Magi next as it's on the way to Ostagar. He's interested in looking up written records in the library there. I heard him mutter something about treaties. The other wardens seem nervous. Why do surfacers become so scared when anyone mentions magic? I just don't get these surfacers at all. _


End file.
